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As debate over the future of European basketball continues after the Como summit, the NBA and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) have reaffirmed their commitment to a new European league. Several stakeholders have also commented on the project, including Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos, Real Madrid President Florentino Perez, Milan owner RedBird and Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson.
European basketball's off-court developments have recently been followed as closely as the games themselves. The EuroLeague shareholders’ meeting on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como, followed by statements from EuroLeague and the NBA-FIBA partnership, has reignited discussions about basketball's future on the continent.
In their joint statement, the NBA and FIBA reiterated their commitment to moving forward with the new league:
“A partnership between the EuroLeague, FIBA and the NBA to unify the European basketball ecosystem would unlock the game’s enormous potential across Europe for the benefit of clubs, players and, most importantly, fans. The NBA and FIBA remain committed to moving forward with a new professional men’s league in Europe and helping build a stronger, more sustainable basketball ecosystem alongside partners who share our vision of growth, opportunity and the core principles of the European sports model.”
Speaking at the Leaders Week conference in London on Oct 8th, NBA managing director for Europe and the Middle East George Aivazoglou stressed the importance of preserving European basketball’s traditions while bringing the game to a wider audience.
“NBA Europe needs to retain hardcore European basketball fans, people who have supported the game and their teams for generations. That’s what gives it authenticity. Basketball on the floor in Europe is fantastic: the quality, the intensity of competition and the passion of the fan base. We don’t want to lose that.
“This cannot work if it is forced or feels like a foreign concept. It needs to respect those traditions while also attracting more people than it does today. It can’t appeal only to hardcore fans. It needs to open up, just as the NBA has become more diverse in its audience and presentation. European basketball needs to become a global property.”
Aivazoglou also reiterated the NBA’s commitment to working with partners and moving ahead with its launch plans:
“We’re very serious and consistent in terms of our intention to work with everybody who shares our vision of the future. We’re moving ahead with our plans for a launch next year.”
Alongside these statements, comments and reports in the international media over the past week show that interest in NBA Europe is spreading across different stakeholders. Established European basketball clubs, football brands, investors and NBA coaches are considering the project for different reasons.
In an Instagram post during the Como summit, Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos said, “All together, we have turned the sport we love into a competition where the NBA—I repeat, the NBA, the top league in the world—wants to invest and make EuroLeague a part of their world.” Proud of what had been achieved, he called for a joint solution.
Giannakopoulos also criticized Olympiacos and several other clubs, arguing they showed no interest in growing basketball. Saying that success was still being measured by how much money was lost at the end of the year, the Panathinaikos owner concluded, “Basketball is not a rich boys’ toy.”
One example of interest from the investment and football sectors is RedBird Capital, Milan's principal owner.
Speaking at the Leaders Week conference in London on Oct. 8, RedBird Capital executive Brandon Snow said the firm was strongly considering an NBA Europe franchise and was satisfied with the openness in discussions about finding a model that works for both parties.
“We would be starting basketball from scratch. So we will have to tap into the Milan brand and its cultural relevancy and then try to bring that into basketball,” Snow said, adding that the NBA understood the value they could bring to the partnership.
According to a senior source at a EuroLeague club who spoke to The Guardian, Real Madrid President Florentino Perez is keeping a close eye on NBA Europe.
Reporting the source’s comments, the newspaper described Perez’s interest as follows: “Florentino has been very involved in NBA Europe. He wants it to happen quickly and is constantly asking for updates.”
Club executives and investors are not the only people speaking positively about NBA Europe. Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson also recently welcomed the NBA-FIBA talks on the new league, saying the project would create more opportunities for players worldwide.
Speaking at the Basketball Without Borders event organized by the NBA and FIBA in Istanbul at the end of August, Atkinson said:
“With NBA Europe, working together with FIBA, I think we’ll be even closer to the players, especially European players. We’re already close, but this is something different. We’ll probably be able to evaluate players better. We’ll be able to build closer relationships with the clubs here. Yes, we’re already close to the players, and we already have good relationships with the clubs, but having the NBA logo on the league certainly changes some things for the better. I think it’s great for the players too. It’s really fantastic. … Honestly, I think it will also provide an economic boost.”
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